Flash Fanfiction - Episode 5 - Hot, Cold and Golden
by Reign Atkins
Summary: (Hot, Cold and Golden) Joe reveals some details to Barry about his birth. Leonard Snart returns searching for his sister and Dr Stein works hard to separate he and Ronnie Raymond.
1. Chapter 1

Astrid raced through the entrance doors with her assistant at tow, a pile of documents in one hand and her phone in the other. Caitlin was on the other end. "Jane, can you run these documents over to Dr Raymond on level two, set up an appointment with our attorney for Friday, and then run down to Jitters and fetch me a latte… And please don't forget to order my lunch while you are there…" She dismissed Jane and continued on with her conversation to Caitlin.

"Don't you think you have been a little hard on that girl ever since you found out that she and Cisco were dating…" Caitlin sighed, "I'm not sure why, considering you're with Oliver now, and although he is back in Sterling City, he is still a much better catch than the adorable nerd. Speaking of love interests, have you heard anything on Ronnie… I mean Dr Stein, is it?"

Astrid scanned her badge and entered the elevator before she answered Caitlin's question. "He has been working with the team on the 81st floor on his project. They have been working out a way to separate Stein from Raymond's body. Are you saying you haven't visited them since we arrived back from Smallville?"

"I did have an awkward moment with him. But I don't really want to go into it right now… Look, I have to go, Barry is here." Caitlin said.

"Alright, I will see you soon… and Cait… Please try to control your temper with those two… We don't need you to go all Snow Queen on them… not until you can learn to control it." Astrid added, before she ended the call. As she did, she saw that she had missed a call from Joe. He was struggling with the burden of knowing that his partner at the CCPD was Barry's twin brother. It was a secret that neither he nor Astrid were willing to reveal just yet.

The doors opened to the 81st floor where Astrid found the same man that Barry had rescued from Smallville, leading the team of scientists.

"Ah, Miss Sutherland! It is very lovely to see you again. I have just been teaching your scientists a thing or two about the firestorm matrix. I believe that they were quite marveled when I revealed to them the project that we will be working on." Astrid had to remind herself that Dr Martin Stein was an older gentleman. A well-known scientist that even her father had been a fan of.

Ronnie, on the other hand, was much younger and had been involved with Caitlin before the meteor shower. "I have to ask…" Astrid started, "How much of Ronnie is really in there? Can he make any decisions whatsoever? I am only asking on behalf of Dr Snow…"  
"Ah yes, the lovely Dr Caitlin Snow. Mr Raymond does have some input in our actions… more than I would prefer in fact… He likes pizza a little too much for my liking and yes, he still is very much in love with your friend. But I assure you that we are working very hard in perfecting the firestorm matrix, even if it has caused a few accidental damages…"

"I'm sorry! Damages?" Astrid asked pointedly.  
"All in the name of science, my dear. But enough about that. I understand Miss Caitlin was rather nervous about approaching me earlier, you can tell her from both Ronnie and I, that she need not be nervous. I am willing to explain everything to her, and I do believe she could be of some assistance."

Astrid gave a polite smile. Dr Martin Stein had a very distinguished way of speaking and he liked to use it, to his full advantage.  
"I will let Caitlin know." she said. Her phone rang again and she saw that once again, it was Detective West. She excused herself to answer it.

"Would either of you know what is up with Joe? He hasn't spoken to either of you at all, has he?" Barry asked Cisco and Caitlin while he had the two of them together. Ever since he had arrived back from Smallville, Joe had been avoiding him and cutting all their conversations off quickly.

Cisco scrunched up his face. He thought back to over a month ago. He knew that Joe was looking into the death of Barry's mother, but nothing had come of it, as far as he had known.  
"I can't say that I do. I haven't seen him in a while. How has the old det…" He was interrupted by the beeping from his computer. He raced over to see that a crime had been committed over at Jitters. "Barry. Something is up at Jitters! You…" before he could finish his sentence Barry was gone.

"Jitters? Are you sure?" Caitlin asked.  
"That's what it says right here." Cisco replied, pointing to his computer screen.  
Caitlin bit her bottom lip, concerned. She had gotten off the phone to Astrid half an hour ago, and knew that Jane had just been sent over their. She didn't want to say anything.

"Caitlin? what are you hiding?" Cisco probed.  
"Nothing. Everything is fine. Your girlfriend is not over at Jitters right now…"  
"You're a terrible liar. You know that." Cisco said, frantically, as he began calling Jane's phone. Jane didn't answer.

Barry reached Jitters to find the entire coffee shop covered in ice and a lot of scared customers.

He saw Iris and phased his entire body so that she couldn't recognize him in his red suit. Iris ran towards him from behind the counter. She was in a terrified state. The villains had clearly, already left.

"That man that had the cold gun a few weeks ago! He is back! My dad works for CCPD and he said that he escaped being transferred to Iron Heights. He came here looking for someone." She told him.

"He said he was looking for his sister." Jane, Cisco's new girlfriend and Astrid's assistant, made her way towards them, still clearly shaken up.  
"His sister?" Barry asked. He thought back to the time when he last encountered Leonard Snart, at the bank before he had been arrested. Astrid had said something about him having a sister.  
"Yes. He was looking for his sister, but she wasn't here." Jane confirmed, clearly excited to be in the presence of The Flash. Barry thanked the girls and was gone again.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that I know you from somewhere." Iris said to Jane as the girl was about to leave.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I guess I just have one of those faces." She replied. She realized that she still had Astrid's latte in her hands and it was going cold. She left abruptly.

Barry found Astrid in the Sutherland Labs car park, making her way to her car. Still in his red suit he grabbed her and brought her back up to the 97th floor to meet with Cisco and Caitlin, before she even knew what had happened.

"Barry!" Astrid snapped. "I wish you wouldn't do that! Next time you speed someone from one place to another you need to tell them first. You need to stop being so reckless!"

Their sudden arrival startled their friends. "I agree with Astrid." Caitlin chimed in, "You can't keep doing that, Barry. You're going to get caught, or bring attention to the fact that you are associated with the CEO of Sutherland Labs."

"I'm sorry. But Leonard Snart broke out of prison and somehow he was able to retrieve his cold gun." Barry replied.  
Astrid groaned and glared at Cisco. "I wish you never built that weapon." She told him. He crossed his arms behind his back and stared at the floor, out of regret.  
"Jane was there, she told me that Leonard was looking for his sister. Astrid, when you spoke to Leonard at the bank, you said something about him having a sister." Barry told her.  
"I remember that. But at the time I was only hearing his thoughts. I didn't see what she looked like in his mind. But, before you brought me here I was on my way to CCPD. Maybe you should come with me, Barry… And Cisco… I hope you still have those shields handy. The police are going to need them."

"That… I have done…" Cisco replied. "I can get in contact with my team and get those shields to CCPD asap." He raced off to get the job done.

A thought crossed Astrid's mind. "Before we go anywhere I need to chat to Dr Stein. He may be able to help!"


	2. Episode 5 - Chapter 2

Barry, Astrid and Cisco reached CCPD headquarters in search for Joe, but they came across Eddie instead. Astrid bit her bottom lip, she was in an awkward predicament standing beside both Barry and Eddie with what she knew. She could see their resemblance now that she thought about it.

"Hey, Barry. Have you heard from Iris? That Leonard Snart went over to Jitters. She was pretty freaked out." Eddie said.

"No… I haven't, actually. Have you seen Joe?" Barry asked.  
"Yeah, for someone who is supposed to be my partner, he sure has been avoiding me lately. Must be this thing with me and Iris. I think he must have found out." Eddie replied, making Barry slightly uncomfortable.  
A week ago, Barry and Felicity had come close to dating, but due to his feelings for Iris, he had turned her down.

"Barry! Astrid…. And Cisco?" Joe came over to them, looking uneasy. "What brings you three here?" He looked from Barry to Eddie and then back at Astrid, feeling just as awkward as she was.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable himself, Cisco announced: "There's Captain Singh. I will go let him know about those… er shields." He left without a second glance.

Joe led Barry and Astrid to his office and closed the door behind them, bypassing Eddie, who felt somewhat put out. "Leonard Snart is back." He told them.  
"Yes we kind of know." Barry replied. "The Flash, I mean… me… I just missed him at Jitters this morning. I couldn't see them anywhere. I don't get how he could have disappeared so fast."

"Don't beat yourself up about it. He is a master thief, Iris said he froze her phone from her very hand with that weapon." Joe told him. He shuffled on his feet. It was clear that he could no longer hide the secret from his foster son any longer. "Barry, could you please sit down for a moment?" He looked over at Astrid, who got the message and walked back out of his office, closing the door behind her.

Eddie was still hovering outside the door. "What are you doing?" she asked him.  
"I have to speak with Joe. I have to tell him… I don't know… that… Me and Iris…" He was clearly having problems trying to explain himself. Astrid probed into his mind. But just as she got a reading, Cisco approached them.

"Oh I just had the coolest nickname for Snart!" he blurted out excitedly, to her.  
"A nickname?" Astrid asked with a smile, "What does he need a nickname for?"  
"Remember those comics we used to read as kids? All the villains have cool nicknames. How does Captain Cold sound?" he asked very pleased with himself.

Eddie laughed, "Because he is Captain Singh's nemesis?"  
"Sure, Captain Singh's nemesis…" Cisco bluffed. "So, er… What is going on in there with Barry and Joe?" he asked her pointing towards Joe's office door.

Astrid turned around. Barry was sitting with his face in his hands, being supported by Joe. He looked rather distraught. "That is none of our business," she told Cisco. "How did things go with Singh?"  
"Good. He wants those shields over immediately. I think he would yell at me if he saw me standing around." They both realized for the first time in a while that this was the first good conversation the two of them had shared in a while.  
"I don't think he would yell at you. Not while Astrid is here." Eddie chimed in.  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Astrid asked him, puzzled.  
"Captain Singh has been avoiding causing conflict around you ever since your father's funeral. You didn't realize that, did you?" Eddie asked.

Before Astrid could answer, the door behind her opened and Barry stormed out, shouldering Eddie as he left. Eddie was about to snap at him, but then Joe asked Eddie to accompany him into his office with him. Clearly to tell him his real identity.

Astrid and Cisco leapt after Barry, following him out of the precinct and into the carpark. "Barry! I know this is hard for you to deal with right now…" Astrid began.  
"You knew?" Barry demanded of her.  
"Knew what?" Cisco asked, truly baffled.  
"Yes, I did. I am sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. But Joe said…"  
"Joe said what? To keep it a secret? To lie to me? How long have you known, Astrid?"

Cisco gasped and both he and Barry waited for her to respond.  
"When we found the research over a month ago, I didn't think that it was possible… but then Joe called me just after we got back from Smallville." She confessed.

"That research? That information that we found? Astrid? Are you saying that Barry does have a twin?" Cisco could not believe it, Astrid tried to stop Cisco from talking.

"You knew too, Cisco?" Barry asked him. "I thought you guys were my friends, and that we were supposed to trust each other. I can't deal with this!" Before either of them could reply, Barry was gone.

"You shouldn't have said anything, Cisco. Now he is mad at both of us." Astrid told him.  
"He'll be fine. He just needs time to cool off." Cisco said, placing his hand on her shoulder, as they walked towards her car. "Besides, you've had enough people mad at you. I thought you needed a break."  
"Clearly Singh thinks the same thing." Astrid replied.

Barry ran to find Iris still over at Jitters. She and a team of workers and volunteers were piecing together the damages at the coffee shop. The very sight of her set butterflies wild in his stomach. Right now she was the only person that Barry wanted to speak to. Before she saw him, she answered her phone and by the look on her face, Barry knew that she had just found out the news from somebody else. Most likely Eddie Thawn… or Malcom Eddie Allen?

She ended her call and saw Barry at the doorway. "Barry!" she called out to him and hugged him supportively. "I heard the news. Eddie is your long lost twin brother? How are you doing?"

"How did you find out? Was that Joe?"  
"No, it was Eddie. My father told him his first name was actually Malcom but his adoptive parents insisted in calling him Eddie as it was his middle name from birth." Iris clarified.

"Hey, Iris? Can we go somewhere and chat?" Barry asked her. She agreed and so they went for a walk.

Caitlin, Astrid, Jane and Dr Stein's team of scientists watched intently as Dr Stein explained to them just what the Firestorm Matrix was capable of doing. Astrid had asked him earlier if he would be able to help out in apprehending Leonard Snart aka Captain Cold.

"… and now if all of you would step back a few paces and allow me to demonstrate the abilities that make up Firestorm…"

They all watched as Ronnie Raymond's head and fists erupted into flames and he floated into the air roughly two feet high off the ground. No one saw Cisco run into the laboratory until he was inching closer to the Ronnie ready with a bucket of water. "No Cisco." Caitlin grabbed hold of him and pulled him back, before he could attempt to put out the fire.

"What is going on here?" Cisco asked them as he put the bucket of water down on a nearby desk.  
"That… is Firestorm." Caitlin answered, pointing admirably at Ronnie Raymond.  
Cisco raised his eyebrows and stood next to Jane who was still in awe of the demonstration.  
"That…" Astrid chimed in, "…may be just what we need to apprehend Captain Cold."  
Cisco smiled proudly. His nickname was catching on.

"Captain Cold?" Jane asked curiously.  
"Yeah that's a sort of nickname that I came up with for him." Cisco clarified.  
"I like it…" she said, "it is very… villainy?"  
"Yeah! That's what I was going for…" he replied, "…I was thinking you and I, later… maybe go to…"  
Caitlin and Astrid diverted their attention back to Dr Stein who had finished his demonstration and had begun answering questions of the scientists.

"I have a question." Caitlin asked, a little uneasy as the attention of the entire room was now on her.

"What is your question, young lady?" Martin Stein asked her.  
It did not feel right to Caitlin, speaking to Ronnie like this, but he was the love of her life and she would stop at nothing to get him back. "Are you at all closer to splicing the two individual beings from…"  
"…Caitlin, I apologize and I understand how hard this is for you, but I assure you that we are doing everything that we can and…" the man's eyes grew wide, as if he had just experienced a major lightbulb moment, "...I think I may have just developed a theory…"

The man rushed over to the whiteboard, erased everything that had previously been scribbled on to it and began writing frantically and speaking at such a speed that it was hard to keep up with him. In the middle of his ravings he called out, "do we have a mechanical engineer in this room? Anyone?" Cisco raised his hand. "Perfect! Mr Ramone, I need you to help me build some sort of quantum splicer. Is that something you may be able to help with?"

A smile formed across Cisco's face. "I may have a few ideas…" he said as a thought crossed his mind.


	3. Episode 5 - Chapter 3

Barry sat across from his father, separated by glass at Iron Heights. He clutched the phone to his ear and listened to Henry who told him, as he wept, that both he and Nora had been told that Barry's twin brother had died at birth.

"Why didn't you tell me, Dad?" Barry finally asked his father, "all these years and you never told me."  
"Son. Finding out that Malcom had died, it crushed your mother and it crushed me. You were too young to understand at the time. Then when your mother died, I could never find the right words. You had been through too much and I did not want to be the one to tell you that you had lost another family member. One that you had only ever known before you were born." Henry explained.

"But that is the point. Malcom didn't die. The doctor that delivered him, lied to you. Malcom was adopted out. He goes by the name of Eddie Thawne and he is Joe's partner at CCPD. He is dating Iris!" Barry told his father.

Henry Allen gasped. "Malcom is alive?" He was having a hard time believing this news. "How…" He could not finish his own sentence. Instead he sat in silence.  
After a long pause, Barry spoke up again. "Joe told me this morning. He told Eddie as well."  
"How did Malcom… I mean Eddie, take the news?" Henry asked.  
"I'm not sure. I haven't spoken to him." Barry said softly. He wondered how on earth he would talk to someone that he had just found out was his brother. Normally he would go to Joe or Astrid for advice. But right now he was angry at them both for not telling him sooner.

For a while now, he had hated Eddie for being the object of Iris' affections. But now he needed to see the man in a new light. Eddie had lived an entirely different life to Barry. He had never known Nora. He had never felt the same pain that Barry had, at witnessing Nora's death.

Eddie had always come off as a decent human being. Barry at that moment was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.  
"Dad, I need to go." Barry told Henry, and to avoid revealing his hidden identity, he left as any regular guy would have left. At normal speed.

"Mick! What are you doing?" Leonard Snart growled at his friend who had just started a fire to one of the bookshelves at The Central City Museum. They had just stolen billions of dollars, worth of artifacts without being caught but now this was set to change things.

"I'm sorry." Mick Rory grumbled. "I couldn't help myself. Think of it this way, at least if we get out now we won't get caught." The flames were burning higher.

Leonard Snart pocketed a beautiful diamond necklace that he knew his sister was bound to love, the moment she saw it. He and Mick ran to find the nearest exit, just in time for the smoke alarms to begin sounding initiating the museum's fire emergency protocols.

They left the building through an emergency exit, leading out into an alleyway, running and hiding behind a large garbage bin, before anyone had seen them. "So what's the plan anyway?" Mick asked, Leonard. "When the hell are we getting out of this city?"

"After Lisa has finished her little project. She told me that she has a gift for us and by the sound of it, we will not be disappointed. So I believe it is worth the wait." Leonard informed his partner in crime.

"They have got to be hot on our trail by now. We are getting reckless." Mick grumbled at his friend, as they peered from behind the dumpster to see fire engines driving past with their sirens blaring.  
"When has my sister ever done us wrong?" Leonard asked, "I do believe that she was the one who got both our asses off of that road to Iron Heights. We will not abandon her now."

"Well then. When are we supposed to see your sister again?" Mick asked as the two of them stepped out from behind the dumpster again. They made their way out back into the street and watched as the firefighters began putting out the fires. Without Leonard realizing, Mick had lit several fires throughout the museum and now he stood still marveling his work. He felt a pang of anger watching them be put out by the fire fighters.

Leonard grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, dragging him away and they casually walked away down the street unnoticed. "We will see her later tonight. Now let's go." Leonard said, as he opened an unlocked car door and climbed into the driver's side. Mick climbed into the other side and they drove off down the road.

Astrid sat at her father's desk with a stack of papers in front of her and a pen in her hand. She tapped the pen onto the desk and tried to concentrate on the fine print in front of her. She replayed the memory of her father's words in her mind over and over. He had wanted her to turn Sutherland Labs into her own. He had even suggested her changing its name. But how could she do this?

The words on the documents that her attorney had sent her were asking for the new name of business. Sutherland Labs, since the meteor shower had expanded its work from diseases to all things science, all things technology and all other research. No name that she could think of sounded right.

Her mobile phone buzzed from next to the documents. It was Oliver, so she answered it. "Hey Star, how did things go with the Firestorm demonstration?" he asked.

She was thankful for the interruption from her work and turned her seat so her back was to her desk. "It went well. Dr Stein may have even considered a way to separate himself from Ronnie." She replied.

"That's great. I bet Caitlin would be pleased." Oliver said.  
"I'd say so. She is in helping Dr Stein, Cisco and the team as we speak. I on the other hand… I am having trouble trying to fill in these forms. I am in the process of changing Sutherland Labs names. I really cannot think of any substitute for Sutherland Labs." She explained to him.

"Well… that's because you are still thinking of it as your father's organization. Once you begin to see it as your own, it will dawn on you." He told her.

"Thank you, Ollie."

"You're welcome. What are boyfriends for? How are you really doing? Your father's funeral wasn't easy for you. You kept a strong façade up. But this is me. You can tell me." Oliver asked her.

"I know that I can. But I think I am fine really…" Astrid heard her door open and didn't even need to turn around to see who it was.

"Astrid! Martin Stein might just have it! We just need to find a very large amount of vacant landmass for precautionary reasons." Astrid turned around to find both Cisco and Caitlin standing in the doorway awaiting her answer. Cisco had been the one who had spoken.

"Hold on, Oliver. Can I call you back?" she ended the call and stared blankly at her friends. "How large are we thinking?" she asked them.

"…enough space for a relatively large explosion." Caitlin told her, full of hope.  
"If you follow the back route out from Central City, where all that empty land is, roughly seven hours out of town. That should be enough. Sutherland Labs used to use it for some projects when they worked with the military. I hope that it is sufficient." Astrid told them.

"I know where you are talking about." Cisco replied. He turned to Caitlin, "I won't be able to accompany you, as I have a date tonight. But I can draw you a map." The two of them turned and left Astrid's office.

At that moment she thought of the perfect name for Sutherland Labs. She penned it to the paper.


	4. Episode 5 - Chapter 4

Leonard Snart and Mick Rory sat in a dingey bar being served drinks. They were buying time before their master plan was to take place. Leonard checked his phone. It wouldn't be long now, then they could reap their rewards of Central City and get the hell out of dodge.

"Is that the message we have been waiting for?" Mick asked gruffly, flicking the switch to his lighter, than letting the flame disappear again.  
"It sure is." Leonard replied, "Lisa will meet us a little after 7:00 tonight. We just need to be a little more patient. Sutherland Labs is not going to know what hit them."

"Remind me again, why are we hitting up some research facility. They have nothing of value." Mick responded.

"I've told you before. They may not have treasures and jewels, but they have so much more that will prove to be of value to us." Leonard swallowed a mouthful of scotch before continuing. "They have the means to grant us with weapons and of course the Sutherland heiress duped us last time, distracting us until we were apprehended. Why? Because she is hiding something which, she knew we were close to revealing. I believe that she knows the identity to Central City's hero in the red suit."

"… so you want revenge?" Mick questioned his friend.  
"No… I want leverage. And this is how we are going to get it." Leonard replied, continuing in a low whisper as to not be overheard.

The clock finally hit half past five and Cisco anxiously waited for Jane to meet him at a table in a local café. She arrived with her long wavy hair, hanging loosely down her back. She smiled, as she reached him and placed her purse on the table.  
"I know Miss Sutherland is your friend and all, but she is seriously… a bitch of a boss." Jane told him.  
Cisco avoided the question. "Do you remember that conversation we were having earlier?" Cisco asked her nervously.

Jane knew the one. She had told him a few things about her past. She had experienced a rough childhood. She had told him that her father had been a cop, he had shown her how to use a weapon and he had been murdered in front of her. Since that day she had been on the run, always living in fear. She had told him how she wished that she had something to make her feel safer.

"Yes, I remember the one." She told him, a frown fell across her face.  
"I made something for you." He told her, "But I can't give it to you here. Let's go for a walk."  
The two of them took their leave, arm in arm and strolled down to the park. There was a brisk chill in the air.

They came to a picnic table and some chairs, so the two of them sat down and Cisco pulled a shoe-sized golden gift box, tied with a silver lace ribbon, from the backpack that he had been carrying on his back.  
A look of surprise, mixed with shock swam over Jane's face. "Cisco, you really didn't need to get me a gift."

"It was nothing, really." He replied, "Just don't tell Astrid, or she will kill me. I promised her I wouldn't make any more of these." Jane opened the gift and was marveled by the golden handheld firearm inside, lined with tissue paper. "Oh! Cisco!" she gasped. She really didn't know what to say. She put the lid back on quickly and nervously kissed him, making him blush.

Jane looked at her watch, "we really need to get ready or we will be late for our dinner date tonight." She told him quickly.

Barry made it back to the CCPD, and found a very nervous Eddie Thawn, sitting at his desk throwing a stress ball up in the air and catching it. Barry was tempted to avoid him, but decided against it. "Er… hi Eddie." He said nervously.  
Eddie was about to catch the ball again, but was thrown off guard by Barry, and it fell to the floor rolling across the ground. "Um… Hi Barry… Er… I'm sorry, Joe isn't here."

"I was looking for you, actually." Barry replied. "I figured you and I are brothers… twins? You know…" Barry was feebly trying to think of something to say to break the ice. He was very nervous and it was clear that Eddie was feeling the same way.

Barry took a seat across from Eddie and the two experienced an awkward pause between them.  
"So… you probably have questions…" Barry suggested.  
"I wish I did." Eddie replied. "I knew the story about your par… Correction! Our parents… before all of this… and I have just spent the day going over all of Joe's research. So I don't have any questions…"

There was another awkward pause. This time a little longer.  
"So…" Barry began, "I don't actually know anything about you aside from the fact that you are Joe's partner, and dating Ir…" Before he could continue, Eddie shut him off. "Barry… We may be brothers by blood, but what is clear to me, is that, that is the only thing that makes us family. I do not see any reason that we should start mending bridges now… Excuse me!" Eddie stood up and left Barry sitting alone at the desk, speechless.

It was nearing 7pm, when Cisco and Jane were sitting at a secluded table in a dimly lit restaurant, accompanied by various patrons at other tables.

Jane glanced at her phone nervously. Cisco studied her intently. He had switched his own phone off so the two of them could enjoy a dinner without being interrupted by Barry, Astrid or Caitlin. "Are you okay?" he asked her, "you have been acting nervous all night. Ever since I gave you…"

Jane looked back at him and cut his sentence off. "Cisco, maybe we should go. We need to leave quickly though."

"What are you talking about?" Cisco asked her, baffled. But his question was answered at the arrival of the restaurant's newest arrivals. "My dear sister!" Leonard Snart's voice broke out over the multiple voices lining the dining hall. Some looked over at him, thinking he was rude to speak so loudly.

Jane tried to hide away but it was too late. Leonard and Mick walked towards Cisco and Jane's table. "Lisa, when you told me that you had a surprise for me, I didn't realize that you were referring to the man who made my beautiful cold gun… Cisco Ramon, himself." Leonard said.

"Er, Jane? What is going on?" Cisco asked her. Jane bit her lip and did not respond.

Leonard and Mick chuckled softly. "Do you mean to say, you never even told him your real name? That is very harsh..." Leonard asked Jane. "Let me introduce you, Cisco Ramon, to my sister Lisa Snart. Aka Jane… What was the last name you were using this time?"

"Cisco, I'm sorry. But..." Lisa told him. Cisco's eyes grew wide. He tried to subtly pull his phone out of his pocket to switch it on, but Mick took it from him, quickly.

Cisco stared at her coldly. "Was any of it true? Your father, a cop? Being murdered? any of it?"  
Lisa Snart smiled unapologetically.

Leonard chuckled. "She got you good. None of it is true! but I would hate to break your wiltered lover charade, Mr Ramone... Dear sister. We brought you a present. It's waiting for you outside. I pinched it from some biker who was more than happy to part with it. Let's use it to go..." Leonard said with a sneer.

Mick restrained Cisco with his left arm and held out a gun with the other. "Let's blow this place to hell and get out of here." He said to Leonard.

As the criminals left with Cisco in tow they shot their weapons behind them. Only Leonard's weapon shot an ice wall. Mick Rory's set the walls aflame and Lisa Snart pulled out her new gift that Cisco had made for her. It shot a trail of pure gold.

"Wow! I'm in awe of you pistol, sis." Leonard told his sister as they made their way out to a delivery truck standing beside a motor bike. Mick dragged Cisco into the back of the delivery truck. Leonard gestured to his sister that the motor bike was her gift, and then climbed into the driver seat of the truck.

Lisa marveled at her ride, climbed on and then followed the truck. They made their way, disappearing into the traffic of the night.


	5. Episode 5 - Chapter 5

Astrid stared blankly at the picture frame on the desk. Relaying her last moments with her father in her head. Although in the last few moments that creature that had inhabited her father's body was in no way Robert Sutherland, it still, to her felt wrong to have pulled the trigger. She was responsible for that bullet… and she would need to live with that for the rest of her life. Although her friends had seen what had happened, none of them could truly comprehend how it had felt having to do so.

She was still at work and the time was nearing 8pm. All the staff, except for she and the security guards had gone home for the night. Cisco was on a date with Jane. Caitlin was out of town working on the Firestorm project with a Dr Martin Stein… or Ronnie, Astrid still didn't understand the concept. All she knew is that they had taken an entire team of scientists with them.

Even Barry was MIA at the moment. She had just spoken to Ollie on the phone. She had cut it short for some silence. It gave her time to sit with her thoughts.

She flicked through the security screens on her computer. Everything seemed normal, until it didn't. She saw a flame a light in one of the bottom floors. She picked up her desk phone, but there was no dial tone. She picked up her mobile phone and saw that it was going flat. She tried to dial the security's number regardless. It rang through with no answer. Then her phone went flat.

Frustrated, she let out a sigh and stood up. She would need to find someone to put out the fire. She left her office, quickly and made her way to Cisco and Caitlin's work areas. She tried each of their phones. Neither of them were working either. A little panicked she raced towards the elevator but to her alarm, the lights and power suddenly went out. Aside from the moonlit sky shining through the windows, she was in total darkness.

She pressed the elevator button anyway, though as she had expected, it didn't work. She made her way towards Caitlin's med bay emergency cupboard and located a torch, switched it on and made her way towards the stairwell door. She wasn't sure what had tripped the power, maybe the fire was worse than she had previously thought. Whatever the reason, she needed to remain calm. She began her exhaustive journey down the long flight of stairs, making her way towards the bottom level, as quickly as she could.

As she gradually made her way down to the bottom of the stairwell, she became overwhelmed by the smell and the sight of the smoke that was coming from the bottom floor. She could hear the smoke alarms going off and touched the door to exit the stair well. It was not yet hot, which meant the fire wasn't too close. She felt weak from her trip down and she knew that her lungs were being filled with the strong stench of smoke.

She opened the door to see, not only fire, but a man that she was only slightly familiar with. "We need to find an exit!" she told him.  
He picked her up with one arm, threw her over his shoulder and gruffed, "You're coming with me, girlie. Snart has a bone to pick with you." The torch, that she had been carrying fell to the floor. At that moment she realized why this large man was so familiar to her. She remembered him as Leonard Snart's accomplice from the bank that day. He had set the fire her building.

She began to kick and scream but she felt too weak to fight him off. All her strength had become lost to her as she was fighting to catch her breath through all the smoke. She could barely fight to keep her eyes open and felt herself slip into sleep.

Barry lounged on the couch alongside Joe and Iris at home watching television. Iris kept glancing at her phone waiting for Eddie to contact her, which he hadn't done since earlier that day. Barry had told her about his conversation with Eddie and was feeling guilty that he might have said something wrong.

Joe looked over at them and attempted to break the ice, until his phone beeped. He jumped up and got to action. "Sutherland Labs is on fire." He told them.

Iris and Barry both looked up in alarm. "Oh no! Is everyone okay?" Iris asked.  
Before Joe could answer Barry quickly blurted out, "I need to go to my room to call Astrid…" He dialed Astrid's number on his phone, but when he was sure that he was out of Iris's sight he used his speed to make it to Sutherland Labs.

Fortunately, the top floors had not yet been touched, meaning that his suit and all of their equipment were absolutely fine. However, the first few floors were burning horribly. He was able to slip past the firefighters without being noticed and retrieved his suit, putting it on instantly.

Then he assisted the fire crew by attempting to putting out the fire, using a bucket and water from a nearby fountain along with his speed ability. The fire crew were working tirelessly, but to Barry they were doing so in very slow motion.

Barry realized that while the bucket of water that he was using was doing a very poor job in putting out the fire, the wind from his speed running was doing a better job.

This gave him an idea. He picked up his pace and ran faster and faster, letting the energy from his movement blow out the flames. It was working. He ran faster and faster encircling Sutherland Labs, watching as the flames reduced to a minor spark. He allowed the fire fighters to put out the last of the flames and looked for any trace of what had happened.

He got back to the 97th floor, his friend's floor. The power had been cut so he went to the emergency cupboard in Caitlin's medical bay. Someone had removed the torched. He found a pack of matches and lit one up. He scoured his friend's offices. He knew that Astrid had been there tonight. She had told him earlier that she had work to do. He went to her office and found her phone still sitting on her desk. It was flat. She never would have left it here. She must still be somewhere on the premises.

He put out the match and went over the entire facility, looking for her. She was not there, nor was she amongst the crowds of people gathered watching the fire or being treated by paramedics.

Barry went past her house. She wasn't there either. As he stood in the shadows outside her house he called Cisco's phone. It rang through. Finally he called Caitlin.

"Caitlin! Have you heard from Cisco or Astrid?" He asked. The interference was bad. He could barely hear her.

"Barry, I don't have good signal. You sound panicked. Is everything ok?" Caitlin called out.  
"Sutherland Labs was on fire. Both Astrid and Cisco are not answering their phones." Barry replied, raising his voice.

"Barry… Cisco… date… Jane…" Barry could barely make out Caitlin's voice, he was more disappointed at the line going dead, though it sounded like she had said that Cisco was on a date. He would need to find Astrid by himself. But where the heck would he start?


	6. Episode 5 - Chapter 6

"Astrid! Wake up!" Cisco whispered to his friend, who was currently passed out as the two were tied with cable ties to dining chairs. They were in someone's house. They just didn't know who it belonged to. Astrid awoke and had to think back to what had brought her here. She remembered the smoke. The man who had taken her hostage. She remembered passing out.

"Cisco, where are we?" she asked him with the same whispered tone.

"Well, well, well! Our guest is finally awake." Leonard Snart's voice broke in as he entered the room. "Let me introduce you both to my family home. Miss Sutherland… I would also like to reintroduce you to my partner in crime Mick Rory… Oh and you know her as your assistant… but she is in fact my sister, Lisa." Both Mick and Lisa followed him into the dining room.

"Jane?" Astrid asked puzzled, "but that is impossible. My team gave you a full investigation before they hired you."

"I forgot to mention, Miss Sutherland," Leonard told her, "that we are professionals at what we do… the forgery, the back stories… They were all a sham." Lisa glanced over at Cisco, a proud smile formed on her face as she looked at her weapon in her hand. She had fooled them both and she was proud of what she had done.

"Miss Sutherland. Do you remember when you and I first met? It was at that bank a little over a month ago and you were distracting me from our work? You fooled me, buying yourself some time for a team of officers to come in before, I revealed the identity of Central City's hero in red. You told me that you knew my sister… you even had me believe you by bringing up a minor detail. I would like to know just how you knew it." Snart asked her.

Astrid remained silent. She eyed the weapon in Lisa Snart's hands and it dawned on her, just who had created it. Though now wasn't the time to argue with her friend.

"How did you know it!" Snart demanded her again, loudly, making her jump to attention.  
"How else would I know? Sutherland Labs is known for its research. I have friends who work for the police department. There is not a lot that I cannot find out."

"Excuse me if I'm not buying it. You were about to divulge a little information, that only a few people, namely me and my sister know. This information has never been documented in any report ever written about myself or Lisa." Leonard raised his weapon towards Cisco, "I will not ask you again. How did you get your information?"

Astrid probed into his mind. He wouldn't kill Cisco, he needed him. This meant that she was safe not revealing her secret. She refused to say anything.

"Congratulations, Miss Sutherland. You called my bluff." Leonard told her, this time he held the weapon in her direction. "Whatever your secrets may be, chances are your best friend here knows every one of them. Something tells me that, unlike you, he would be more than willing to talk." He shot a stream of ice hitting her left shoulder which was so cold and so painful that it made her scream out in pain.

"Astrid can read minds!" Cisco blurted out, making Leonard lower his weapon in surprise.  
"He's lying!" Astrid called out in pain. She wanted to grab her arm but she could barely move it, let alone struggle. It was frozen stiff, and tied behind her.

"No… I know a lie when I hear one," Leonard told her, "that is no lie." He looked over at his accomplices, "Can we speak in the other room?" he asked them. The three of them left Cisco and Astrid alone in the dining room.

Astrid focused her thoughts on breathing through the sensation of her left arm. Her shoulder had gone numb. She couldn't move it and she hoped that it was not severely damaged.

"I'm sorry Astrid… I thought…" Cisco began.  
"Don't worry. I understand." Astrid told him. "We just need to figure out what we are going to do. How we are going to get out of here." She was having problems breathing and she let out a few coughs to clear her throat. A clear side effect from the fire earlier.

"What do you have in mind?" Cisco asked her.  
"Well they now know that I can read minds so that eliminates that option. That Mick guy set a fire to Sutherland Labs, that's how he caught me. It will only be a matter of time before Barry and the rest of CCPD find out that we are missing." Astrid told him in a calm whisper.

"He set fire to Sutherland Labs?" Cisco asked, shocked.  
Astrid nodded, groaning as she felt a sharp sensation to her left arm. She still couldn't move it.  
"So we have a change of plans…" Leonard Snart said as he and his accomplices entered the room again. He grinned directly at Astrid. She read his mind immediately and began to protest.

"You know, miss Sutherland, exactly what we have planned. And you also know that you cannot refuse." He told her. She knew that Lisa had done her work to find out everything about Astrid Sutherland and her friends. The one thing she didn't know was who the Flash really was. But what she did know is that Astrid Sutherland was the key to acquiring everything the three of them, (Snart, Mick and Lisa) could hope to achieve.

Snart's plan was simple. Threaten to hurt Cisco, unless Astrid helped them to break into banks, corporations and other means to gain riches. Her mind reading ability and her status was their key to success.

"I can't help you! I can't do that!" Astrid blurted out.  
Lisa smiled a malicious grin, walked up to Cisco and kissed him on the cheek. He shook his head to fight her off him. "Naww… Cisco! Don't you like me anymore?"

"You tricked me! You're a psycho!" he snapped at her.  
She smiled down at him, unphased. "You gave my brother a nickname. How about giving me one…"

Cisco hated her with a vengeance at this moment. Though the temptation to create another witty name for a supervillain was just too hard to resist. He thought about the gun he had made her and her love for motor cycles. "Golden Glider…" he told her, pleased with himself.

"I love it!" she told him, jumping up and down and clapping her hands as if she were a child.  
"Did I hear that correctly?" Snart asked Cisco, "You have a cute little pet name for me?"

Cisco refused to look at him, so Lisa replied instead. "Oh, he calls you Captain Cold! Brother."

"Captain Cold?" Snart repeated, nodding his head and hearing how it sounded. "Not something that I would have picked, but it does have its charm."

"Can we cut the crap?" growled Mick Rory. "We have things to do and I am eager to get out of town before we get caught again."

"You're right, Mick." Leonard said, looking at his friend, "But before we leave town with our newfound friends. I would like to take my new key and test it out. While I do, I would like to leave Cisco in your capable hands. If Astrid refuses to do her part… you will know what to do."

Mick Rory grinned, a devilish grin and let out a menacing gruff chuckle. Astrid saw the terror in his mind and it made her sick to her stomach. She knew that she had no choice but to participate in whatever crime that Leonard Snart had planned.

Lisa, who was still standing next to Cisco pleaded to stay behind to have some fun with Cisco and her new weapon. So Leonard approved.


	7. Episode 5 - Chapter 7

"Any trace of her?" Joe asked Barry, once the detective had joined him in Astrid's office.  
"No, not a sign of her. She left her phone on her desk and I charged it up. Her last phone call was to Oliver. I haven't called him yet. I don't want to worry him if she is fine." Barry replied.

"I would rather us leave that man out of Central City's business." Joe told him, adamantly.  
"I get the impression that you don't like Oliver Queen very much, do you Joe?" Barry asked.  
"He is a killer, Barry! I would prefer it if he stayed away from my kid."  
"Duly noted!" Barry said, trying to drop the subject. He flicked through the security images on the computer screen. The time was currently 3am and he knew that Joe was feeling tired.

"You can go home if you like. Get some sleep." Barry told him.  
"…and leave you here by yourself?" Joe tried to refuse.  
"Just go home. I'm fine." Barry told him. "I'll contact Cisco in a few hours and get his help to find her."  
Joe nodded and left the office, while Barry replayed the images of the night. He saw the fire starting up, but he couldn't find out who had started it.

Then he saw it. He saw Astrid approach a man who picked her up and left the facility quickly. Unfortunately, he could not see the man's face. And he could not hear their conversation. As far as he knew, this man could have been a security guard saving his friend.

Whatever the situation was, this man would have the answers of where she had gone next. He went through Astrid's employee folders, on her computer, reading up on every individual profile, looking for some similarities between the unidentified man and the staff. It only took a few seconds, but nothing came up. He felt as if he had seen this man before, but he knew that it was not Leonard Snart. He would need to keep searching.

"Remind me again, what we are doing at Mercury Labs?" Astrid questioned Snart as they approached the Mercury Labs entrance. "You are simply playing your part. And unless you want you want any harm to come to your boyfriend, I suggest that you do it quickly. I will play the part as your assistant while you will lead us to their artifact research department."

"Why would they just let me in? it's 3am and I run Sutherland Labs… Not Mercury Labs. And for the record, Cisco is not my boyfriend!" she shot back at him.  
Leonard, who was wearing leather gloves, rang the doorbell. "It is up to you to figure out a back story. If you fail, he dies. It doesn't matter what he is to you, right now he is the perfect leverage."

The security guard approached the other side of the glass door, so Astrid stood in front of it, so that he could see who it was. He opened the door and looked at them both.

"Hi," Astrid said casually, "I know it's late but I just got off the phone to Dr McGee and he granted me permission to come up and collect some projects that my father collaborated on when… you know… he was alive…" Astrid deliberately let her voice trail off to receive the pitying effect. But the security guard wasn't buying it. She probed into the man's mind and she knew she would need to improvise all the more.

"Oh my god!" she sighed. "This whole carrying on my father's business thing is seriously hard. I never thought I would have to come here in the middle of the night, just to gather the last things he ever worked on…" she allowed her voice to trail off into a whimper and began to cry.

The security guard was clearly uncomfortable by this display. "Look, Miss Sutherland. I know who you are and I know that you would have no reason to break the law here. Just go up there, but your friend needs to stay down here."

"As much as I would prefer him to stay down here, he is actually my… ahem… assistant. I need his help to carry some of the things. They are a little heavy for me." She said, keeping her act up.

The security guard stared intently at Snart, who stared right back at him. "You're both free to go through." The security guard told them. "I hope you can both find your way."

"Thank you." Astrid said sweetly and she lead the way to the elevator.  
"Judging by your performance, that is not the first lie that you have ever told. You weren't half bad." Snart complimented.  
"Being the daughter of a celebrity, I had to be able to tell a lie or two in my youth. And like you said… You have leverage. The sooner this job is done, you let Cisco and me go free. That's it! And we will not tell anyone. I promise." Astrid pleaded.

"You clearly didn't hear what I said earlier, did you? You and Cisco are to come with us." Leonard replied.

"We're not going anywhere with you." She snarled at him.  
"Oh, but you are. Remember, if you refuse…"

"Fine… if you are going to use the leverage card. I will go. But Cisco remains here, safe!" Astrid told him.  
"Fine… Your friend will stay here. And if anyone asks you are going of your own free will… Now, can we step inside the elevator or are you just trying to procrastinate?" Astrid glanced at the open elevator doors and stepped inside to avoid further communication with the criminal.

"Naww Cisco. Are you really that mad at me?" Lisa cooed at him, who at this point was beyond tired and getting quite frustrated at his current predicament.

Mick, who was studying his weapon at this point, was also becoming irritated by Lisa Snart's performance. "How 'bout you get the boy a coffee before he falls asleep. Give me some peace!" he growled at her.

Lisa took her leave, leaving he and Cisco alone. "Thank you!" Cisco said.  
"No, thanks necessary. But you are going to upgrade my weapon!"  
"I'm what?"

"You are going to…"  
"I heard what you said. I am not going to…" Cisco protested.  
"You will, if you want to remain alive. Or if you want all your friends and family to stay alive… I have killed more people for less and made it look like an accident." Mick interrupted.

"What do you want me to do with it?" Cisco asked defeated.  
"I want it to be more powerful than before. And don't try to do anything stupid. I will make you test it out first." He replied.

Cisco nodded. "I will have to have a look at it first, so I will need to have my arms untied."  
Mick placed the weapon on the table before them and stood behind the chair. Just as Cisco had seen dozens of times in the movies, the minute his hands were free, he flung his elbow back, smacking Mick in the face.

Unfortunately, it did not affect Mick in the slightest as he restrained Cisco's arm and pressed a blade to Cisco's neck. "I don't need a gun to do my job. I just choose to use one." He said softly.

Once he knew that Cisco had submitted, he released his restrain on him and removed the blade, cautiously. "Ok. I'll get to work." Cisco said, beginning to study the weapon, with Mick's threatening stare on the back of him. He rubbed his neck where the blade had been pressed, thankfully there was only a scratch.

"I work better when I feel comfortable and not like I'm being threatened." Cisco shot at the man.  
"I don't care. You have a job to do, and you are going to do it!" Mick shot back.

Arguing was pointless, he needed to get to work. He was focusing on the weapon, then all of a sudden a thought. No, not a thought, a memory? But it couldn't have been. A flash of something popped through his head.

He saw Astrid at Mercury Labs, accompanied by Snart. They walked right past a security guard, unhassled, and into a laboratory of artifacts. Ancient artifacts. Leonard happily went over a wall of treasures, looking for one in particular.

Astrid noticed a small ancient dagger sitting on a shelf. She placed it inside her jacket pocket, unnoticed. She crept up towards Leonard, softly and as he turned to her, she swiftly brought the dagger to his stomach. But at the same time he had brought out his gun and was holding it against her head.

"You don't have the guts to kill someone, girlie." Leonard told her. An expression fell across Astrid's face that surprised Leonard, a feeling of guilt, that had led Astrid to drop the dagger to the floor, despite the gun that had been placed against her head.

"I know that look. The look that tells me that you do have the guts. You have killed someone, quite recently, in fact, and they were quite close to you." He lowered his weapon and smiled, an amused smile.

It was as if something had reminded Astrid of all the martial arts that she had learnt over the years, including her training with Oliver. As a reaction, she picked the dagger up off the ground and knocked Leonard back. He almost toppled over. But he too was quick on the reaction, he went to hit her. She was able to duck in time. But then a piercing sensation through her left arm startled her. She remembered the pain in the left arm where the ice gun had hit her earlier.

She ignored it and kicked Leonard back. He almost toppled over again, but then he pulled out his weapon and aimed it at her. With her arm still hurting she knew that she was no match.

Cisco was baffled. Did he just imagine seeing all of that? and then realized that Mick had asked him a question. "Are you even listening to me?" Mick was holding the blade to Cisco's neck again. "I'm sorry. I was listening. I was just concentrating." Cisco lied. Mick removed the blade, the lie had bought him more time.


	8. Episode 5 - Chapter 8

Caitlin watched with anticipation. The whole team was tired. It was 4am but they had all made progress on Martin Stein's separation theory. They were seven hours out of town, surrounded by nothing but vacant scrubland. It was a very cold night. Some of the scientists were huddled, trying to keep warm.

But Caitlin was not cold in the slightest. She assumed it had to do with her powers. It wouldn't matter anyway. The whole night would be lit up in warmth at any moment.

Martin, in the body of Caitlin's love Ronnie, stood 3 kilometers away from the entire team, keeping contact by two-way radio. He spoke tiredly into his end. "final attempt at separation, beginning in five…" he began the countdown, the rest of the team joined him.

"...four… three… two… one…"

The skies lit up with flashes of yellow and red flame and a deafening bang sounded the early morning. As the flames disappeared, the team used their binoculars to scan for Martin Stein and Ronnie Raymond. The could see nothing but smoke.

Caitlin clicked her two-way radio. "Ronnie? Dr Martin?" she called out. But there was no response. She began running towards the smoke. Continuing to try and communicate by the radio.

"Dr Snow. I would advise against…" one of the scientist began.

She pushed them away. "I need to know if he is ok!" She said ignoring them, talking about Ronnie. She couldn't lose him again. She kept running until she saw the smoke close up. She continued to run until she was engulfed in the thick black smoke.

"Ronnie?" She called out, coughing as the smoke sunk into her lungs. She was barely able to see a thing. "Ronnie? Dr Stein?" she called into the smoke. A few of the scientists had followed her, carrying spare lab coats.

"Caitlin?" She heard the voice call out, as clear as day. She knew who it belonged to. She saw Ronnie emerge from the smoke. "Caitlin!" Ronnie exclaimed, when their eyes met. His clothes were torn beyond repair. Another an older man emerged from the smoke behind him, whom she figured was the real body of Dr Martin Stein.

The scientists wrapped the coats over Ronnie and Dr Stein to keep them warm. Caitlin knew instantly that the separation experiment had worked. Caitlin was overjoyed. She had her Ronnie back. He embraced her and kissed her.

It was just after nine in the morning, as Caitlin drove Ronnie back to Central City, in the Sutherland Labs van. They were only half way there. Most of the team, including Dr Stein, had gone home so she had offered to return the equipment back to the facility. It provided her with some quality time with Ronnie. Although, she was still speechless to have him to herself. Where would they pick up their relationship? Would they still get married?

"Caitlin. I love you and I don't want to waste another moment. Let's leave Central City, as soon as we can. Let's start a new life somewhere else." Ronnie told her.

She had barely realized what he had said as she had been lost in her own thoughts. Her own fantasy of having him back.

"I'm sorry. What did you just say?" she asked him.  
"I want us to leave Central City. You could get another job. Maybe we could go to Sterling City, Metropolis… Right now I would even go to Gotham City. It doesn't matter where we go, just as long as we are together." He declared.

Caitlin clutched the steering wheel tightly, surprised that he had asked her this. She was even delighted to hear him ask her. But she had a life here. She had her friends. She had a place here.

"Ronnie… I don't know what to say…" she began.  
Ronnie's face fell. "You want to, but you can't."  
Caitlin nodded softly, but kept her eyes on the road.  
"We have just reunited with each other. Barry… he needs me! Astrid and Cisco too…"

"Caitlin, Astrid can hire any doctor to help Barry…"

While this might have been true, the group were a team. They were more than a team. They were a family. Neither Ronnie nor Caitlin spoke again. Ronnie turned on the radio, in time for a news broadcast.

"… CCPD is still trying to locate Astrid Sutherland after an arsonist set Sutherland Labs alight last night…"  
Ronnie and Caitlin gasped, as Ronnie turned the volume up to hear the report clearer.

"… Sources claim that the heiress was seen entering Mercury Labs, soon after with a man who resembled the escaped convict Leonard Snart. The witness claims that she referred to him as her assistant, to gain access to the facility's resources. It is unknown whether she was being held against her will. For more information, please stay tuned…" Ronnie turned the radio off and the two sat in silence.

"Jeez! See what happens when I go away for one night, Ronnie?" Caitlin said in disbelief as she pulled off to the side of the road to use her phone.

She saw the numerous missed calls from Barry. But before calling him, she tried her friend Astrid's phone. The phone rang through so she called back Barry.

"Barry!" she said as he answered the phone.  
"Caitlin! Where are you? I need your help! Both Astrid and Cisco are gone. When I heard about the lead on Astrid and Snart at Mercury Labs, I looked everywhere. I even searched Leonard Snart's old family home. They were held there at some point. I found traces of their DNA, but they must have been moved. There is just no trace of them anywhere!" There was defeat in Barry's tone.

"Barry. They can't have just disappeared! Where are you? Ronnie and I are four hours out, just off route 72…" before Caitlin could finish her sentence, Barry swept past the van and brought she and Ronnie to their floor at Sutherland Labs. Caitlin was relieved to see that their floor was entirely unscathed by the fire.

Barry began typing and speaking very quickly, even for Barry's usual self, which told Caitlin that he was in a real panicked state… "I was able to get the power back on, but I requested that all the employees go home until Astrid is found. Unfortunately, the media heard that she is missing and now CCPD…"

Caitlin put her hand on Barry's shoulder to comfort him. "Barry, you need to slow down. We will find them. I promise you." She told him.

"But what if we don't? I have done everything to look for them. What if Astrid and Cisco…"  
"Don't think like that…" Caitlin told him. "if anyone can get themselves out of this sort of thing, those two can… And we will help them."

"I'm in for a little Scooby-Doo mystery." Ronnie chimed in, "and even though Martin and I are separated, I can sense that he is willing to help too… Don't ask me how I know…"

Barry looked down at his phone which was ringing in his hand, it was Felicity Smoak. He put her on speaker so that the others could hear her too.  
"Barry, what is going on?" Felicity asked, "why is the news saying that Astrid has been kidnapped? Oliver is going to freak when… Oh wait! He has just heard… Oliver? Hold on Barry, I'm putting you on speaker…"

Barry spoke into the phone as he continued to use Cisco's computer. "Felicity! Oliver! We need to know if Leonard Snart has any associates that would know where he would go, and why he would need to break into Mercury Labs. What was he looking for?"

"I'm on it, Barry!" Oliver told him.  
"Barry, what do you need me to do?" Felicity asked him.  
"Felicity, are you able to hack into…" Barry began.

"…Hack into Central City's security footage? I'm already done!"

"Wow, that computer nerd works fast." Ronnie whispered to Caitlin.  
"I heard that, Mr Raymond." Felicity said, but they could hear through the phone that she was still typing.

"I am going to find out if Jane has heard anything from Cisco," Caitlin told Barry. She tried to call Jane's number, but it rang through with no answer. She waited a moment and then tried again, but this time Jane answered.


	9. Episode 5 - Chapter 9

Lisa, her brother Leonard and Mick had acquired a van and were escaping town with Cisco and Astrid Sutherland in the back. Lisa Snart looked at her phone. Caitlin Snow was ringing.  
"You're best answering the phone, sis. We need to keep up the charade." Leonard told her, referring to the phone call. The phone stopped ringing, before she could answer it.

"Mick, pull over at the next exit." Snart told his friend. "I promised the heiress that we would leave Cisco here in Central City."  
"What why?" Lisa questioned him, with annoyance throughout her tone.  
"She promised that she would go of her own volition, if we spared him." Leonard told his sister, "so that is what we are doing. So when they call you back, you need to bring Cisco back to his friends and ensure that he doesn't speak to anyone about where we are going. We can come back later to pick you up."

Lisa looked back down at her phone which was ringing again. She held her finger to her lips, gesturing that they not say another word. She answered the phone and spoke to Caitlin. "Hi Caitlin. Is everything ok? Yeah, I heard the news. No, I have not heard from Astrid. Cisco spent the night with me. Sure. I will see you then." She ended the call and smiled at her brother. "That was easier than I had expected. Drop Cisco and I off at the next exit. We'll get a car back to Sutherland Labs."

They stopped the truck and walked around to the back, opening the big heavy doors and letting the blinding sunlight shine in the gagged faces of Astrid and Cisco, making them turn their heads away.

"It is time to part ways." Leonard declared as he, Lisa and Mick pointed their weapons on their hostages. Cisco stood up and looked at Astrid, nodding his head 'goodbye' to his friend. His wrists were bound behind his back. He stepped off the truck and as Mick held his weapon pointed towards him, Leonard examined his wrist restraints.

"This can't be…" But before Leonard could finish his sentence, Astrid had jumped out of the truck and removed the golden pistol from Lisa, knocking her to the ground unconscious and pointing it directly at Leonard Snart. Mick pointed his weapon at Astrid, forgetting entirely what had baffled his crime partner in the first place. That Cisco's wrist restraints had been cut.

Cisco, remembering one too many movies that he had seen, took the weapon from Mick Rory's hands and pointed it at him.

"Clever, Miss Sutherland." Snart said as he pointed his cold gun at her, "We both know that you're a killer. But does your friend have what it takes to shoot another person?"

Astrid knew that her friend didn't. But her eyes didn't waver. She glared at Leonard, daring him to move.  
Mick Rory attempted to take back his weapon. Cisco reacted with a swing of his arm. Instead of shooting the arsonist, he knocked him over the head with the large weapon, causing him to drop to the ground.

Astrid and Snart both saw this action. Without shifting her gaze, Astrid told Cisco to grab Micks phone and contact The Flash. Just as she was distracted, Lisa Snart awoke from behind Astrid and picked up a large rock from the ground.

Lisa hit Astrid in the back of the head, making her fall to the ground, dropping her weapon.

"Thank you for giving me my gun back, bitch!" Lisa Snart shot at Astrid, who was now unconscienced on the floor. The golden glider picked up her weapon and both she and her brother Leonard pointed their weapons at Cisco.

"Drop the weapon and the phone, right now, Cisco!" Leonard said.  
Cisco did as he was told, very slowly. He stood back upright, with both of his hands in the air. "Ok, I surrender." He told them, "You got me, Captain Cold… Golden Glider! But not until…"

His last few words stumped Leonard Snart and his sister. But only for a brief moment, as The Flash turned up and apprehended them and the unconscious Mick Rory. Tying them up with extra rope that he found in the truck. He confiscated all of their weapons, dropping them off at CCPD, before anyone could notice.

He put the master thieves into the truck and ensured that they could not escape. He did all of this before Cisco could finish his sentence,  
"…I could call The Flash!" He wasn't surprised at how quickly Barry had done so.

Cisco and The Flash checked on their friend Astrid, who was still out cold. As she awoke, she rubbed her head, which had been cut by the rock, and was bleeding heavily, she was quite groggy.

"I think you are going to need to see Caitlin." Barry told her.  
"I'm fine, guys. It's just a scratch." She told them. She grimaced at the pain. Barry sent a message to Joe about the three criminals that were sitting in the back of a delivery truck. They waited a few moments until they heard police sirens approaching, before Barry swept Astrid and Cisco back to Sutherland Labs.

"How is Astrid doing?" Joe asked through their phone call, as Barry paced Sutherland Labs, later that evening.  
"Caitlin checked her over. She is fine. No signs of concussion, whatsoever. She just needed a few stitches." Barry replied.  
"That's good, but I am calling for another reason. So it turns out that the truck of criminals was not where you told me it would be." Joe replied.  
"What do you mean?" Barry asked, puzzled.  
"I mean that the truck was gone. Leonard Snart and his accomplices made another escape."

Barry's face fell. "There has got to be a mistake." Barry said.  
"No mistake, Bar. Word has it that those weapons you confiscated, that you dropped off into CCPD, they have been stolen as well. These master thieves are good at what they do. But we suspect that they have skipped town." Joe told him.

"Let's just hope that they don't come back." Barry replied.  
"We can only hope, Barry. We can only hope. Also, before I go… Eddie is here. He wants to speak with you. I think you should come here and, you know… have a brotherly chat."

"I'll do that, thanks Joe." Barry said, ending the call.

"So, by the look on your face, I take it that things didn't go well with the arrests." Cisco suggested, noticing the look on Barry's face.

"No, right before Joe got there, the truck was gone. They even stopped by CCPD to take back their weapons before fleeing town." Barry replied.

"They're clearly master thieves." Ronnie chimed in.  
Caitlin nodded in agreement. "And now they know Astrid's super power. I guess our only weapon against them now is The Flash."

"But even so…" Astrid chimed in, as soon as she ended her phone call to Oliver, "They were able to infiltrate Sutherland Labs. They played us for fools. I can't believe that we had no idea that Jane was Lisa Snart this whole time. Because of our stupidity, they almost burnt Sutherland Labs down to the ground."

"You shouldn't be that hard on yourselves, Miss Sutherland." Dr Stein said, upon entering the room.  
"But she's right." Cisco added.  
"So that is why we need to be prepared for next time." Barry told them. "We upgrade the security levels and we put measures in to ensure this doesn't happen again."

"I agree." Astrid told them, "Sutherland Labs needs a big makeover! I didn't mention this sooner but before but…" she sighed in the middle of her sentence, "…before my father died, he suggested that I make Sutherland Labs my own. He told me to even change its name. So I came up with STAR Labs."

"STAR Labs?" Cisco repeated.  
"As in Science, Technology and Research?" Dr Stein asked.

Astrid nodded. She wasn't going to tell them that the name had come from Oliver's nickname for her. Though, the look on Caitlin's face, meant that she already knew so.

"I think it sounds good!" Barry said, but his mind was elsewhere, "I will catch up with you guys later." Before saying 'Goodbye' he left.

"I still find the speed of that young man, really strange." Dr Stein said.

"More strange than two men who can merge and become a human torch?" Cisco asked, in return.

"Good point." The doctor replied.


	10. Episode 5 - Chapter 10

Barry arrived at CCPD to find Eddie Thawne standing in Barry's office, next to the shelf filled with glass beakers. "Hi Barry, I'm glad that Joe gave you my message."

"Yeah, he sounded serious. Is everything okay, Eddie… erm, Malcom?" Barry asked him.  
"Just call me Eddie. That is the name that I have grown up with. I want to apologize for the way that I treated you earlier. I spoke to Iris and we both agreed that I was out of line."

Barry nodded in response, though Eddie continued.  
"I suppose that when Joe told me that I was adopted, I was angry because it made me realize everything that I missed out on. I mean the fact that you grew up with Joe and Iris. They are such great people!"

"Do you mind…" Barry began. It was evident that he knew nothing about Eddie's upbringing. "…if I ask you what your adopted parents were like."  
"That's a fair question." Eddie told him, "The truth is, my parents… the one who raised me from birth, are in jail. They did a lot of bad things and after that I kind of bounced around the foster care system for a little while. When I was 15 years old I moved to Gotham City. My adopted father at that home was a police officer. He was killed in the line of action, but not before setting a good example. From that day I promised to be like him… and here I am."

Barry didn't know what to say. He sat down at his desk and thought hard. "Eddie, I… am sorry."  
"Don't be sorry, Barry. You have done nothing wrong. Man! You're my brother… My twin brother, to be exact. I'm just disappointed that I was never able to meet our real mother." Eddie told him, sitting across from Barry. Eddie wiped a stray tear from his cheek.

"She was amazing," Barry told him wistfully, "She was the type of mothers you read about in fairytales. She would read stories, sing songs… and her smile! She could light up a room."

Eddie smiled, as he tried to imagine the sort of mother that she might have been to him. It made him feel envious of Barry.

"You know…" Barry said, changing the subject to a lighter tone, "… My dad…I stand corrected! Our Dad! Is still alive. He is over at Iron He…"  
"…Iron Heights, I know. I read up on him." Eddie finished his sentence.  
"Would you like to come with me to go see him?" Barry asked, standing up and retrieving his keys.  
"…Actually… I would love nothing better!" Eddie replied, ecstatic by the idea. He stood up and followed Barry out of the door, excited to meet his real father for the first time.

Overhearing that Barry and Eddie were on their way to Iron Heights, Joe made his way to Sutherland Labs in search for Astrid and Cisco, he still needed to question them in relation to their kidnapping. Once he had arrived, he found that all the Sutherland Labs employees had been given the week off, with pay, following the fires. All apart from level 97, where he found not only Cisco and Astrid, but also Caitlin, Ronnie Raymond and Dr Stein.

"Astrid. Cisco. I'm glad the two of you are ok. I am going to have to question you in relation to… Who is this?" he asked referring to the older gentleman in the white lab coat.

"I apologize, detective West. Until recently, you and I have only communicated through Mr Raymond over there. Let me formerly introduce myself as Dr Martin Stein, literally in the flesh."

Joe eyed Caitlin, Astrid and Cisco, he was confused and waiting for a response, which Cisco gave. "Did you ever see the Bill and Ted movie?"  
Joe stared at him, all the more confused, so Cisco gave up.  
"It doesn't matter right now." Joe told them, "Astrid, when you and Leonard Snart went to Mercury Labs, did you happen to see what he took."

Astrid shook her head slowly, "No I didn't. Whatever it was, he must have done it when I was distracted."

"Distracted?" Joe asked her suspiciously.  
"I tried to fight him. But for some reason he had pretty good fighting skills."

Joe nodded and then continued, "Well according to the reports, Leonard Snart stole some sort of totem necklace. The scientists who were working on it said it was ancient and originated from Africa. They didn't give me a lot of information, but apparently it's a big deal."

Dr Stein approached Joe. Over his years of work he had heard the tails of an African totem necklace that was said to give the wearer amazing abilities, such as the speed of a cheater and the flight of a bird.

Cisco pulled Astrid aside and spoke under his breath so only she could hear him.  
"You tried to fight Snart at Mercury Labs? Can you tell me exactly what happened?" He was thinking back on his vision of her in combat with Captain Cold.

"It was nothing, really. I picked up a blade and tried to use it on him. He pulled out a gun and aimed it at my head. We fought. The end!"

It was exactly as Cisco had envisioned. But how was this possible? It couldn't have been possible. There was no way that Cisco had been affected by the meteor shower. Or was there?


End file.
